


looking at the sun

by ghoulspoons



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Hinata Shouyou is Sunshine, Kageyama Tobio is Bad at Feelings, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, One-Sided Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Pining Kageyama, Pining Kageyama Tobio, Tokyo Arc, Tokyo Camp Arc, Unrequited Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Unrequited Love, kenhina - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:28:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27833023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghoulspoons/pseuds/ghoulspoons
Summary: Looking at Hinata Shoyo for too long makes Kageyamas eyes burn, he can’t bring himself to look away even though Hinata isn’t looking at him.[the one where Kageyama realizes he has weird feelings for his partner the same time a certain blond setter does as well]
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutaru (mentioned), Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Kozume Kenma, One-Sided Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio - Relationship, side Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutaru
Comments: 14
Kudos: 77





	looking at the sun

When he starts to realize his feelings he almost misses it. It doesn’t hit him like a train, time doesn’t slow down, nothing dramatic happens like all the movies he’s seen. 

It’s almost disappointing, the only thing he feels is a flush of heat rising in his face and he wonders if it’s from the game they just finished. He doesn’t feel mushy, he just feels hot and sweaty and a strike of jealousy hits before it dissolves into a tight feeling in his lower chest.

The gym was loud but Hinata's voice was louder, he could hear it rise above the others when he was on a completely opposite side of the gym. After another failure they were forced to yet another set but that somehow didn’t affect Hinata.

Instead, he had finished with somehow more energy and excitement than before and he had barely touched his water before running off to find Nekomas setter.

Taking the final swing of his water, Tobio lets himself lean against the gym's wall hoping he looks unbothered as he lets himself look for Hinata again.

He finds him in the corner, still with Kenma. He was practically _glowing_ as recounted something to the blond haired boy. His hands were moving faster than his body as he jumped around. 

“ _AND HE WAS ALL LIKE Hinata you idiot you’re taking too long and I-_ ”

He scowls realizing Hinata was supposed to be mimicking him and feels his frown deepen realizing that if he could hear Hinata from his spot on the wall, _everyone_ could hear Hinata.

He watches as Hinata suddenly stops and lands on his feet, he straightens his back and goes to stand on his toes to make himself taller. Tobio swears he sees a ghost of a smile on Kenmas face before he focuses his attention back to whatever the hell Hinata was doing. 

He was pointing to the ground and stomping his feet (which didn’t actually happen) and shoving at the air. The performance was supposed to mimic the small argument they had gotten into earlier that day over Hinata wasting time and water in the bathrooms.

He doesn’t have time to feel insulted or annoyed because he watches as Kenma _laughs,_ he can’t hear it but he can see the quiet boy's shoulder shake slightly and as quickly as it’s there it’s gone and Tobios attention is dragged away to what he thinks is the literal sun. 

Hinata was _beaming_ , there were practically stars in his eyes as he looked over at Kenma clearly proud of himself for making him laugh but that wasn’t just it.

His face was slowly turning pink and it somehow didn’t clash with his hair, he was grinning his signature _I’m Hinata Shouyou and I’m blinding you_ smile that still managed to burn him from where he stood.

Kenma smiled back, his cheeks slightly red before being covered by his curtain of hair and Hinata just kept smiling back at him and there was a weird feeling that hit him.

Letting out a huff he moved to look away but instead found himself stuck staring. Staring at Hinata for too long makes his eyes burn.

He can’t bring himself to look away.

Instead he stays almost frozen in place, he’s gritting his teeth for some reason and he doesn’t know why he’s so upset now but he just is. He wants to go and hit, throw a ball around or something, maybe even run more. He doesn't know what he wants to do but he knows he’s upset.

He doesn’t like the way Hinata was giving that smile to Kenma, he wanted that smile to be directed at him. He wanted that look to be directed at him too.

His hands were beginning to hurt from how hard he was gripping his water bottle, he should look away. He’s being weird just standing there alone watching them. 

Hinata nudged Kenmas shoulder with his own, still smiling. Kenma said something and Hinata lit up all over again.

He felt the feeling worsen down into stomach and he realized he was jealous, he was jealous of the way they were in their own bubble and Kenma got Hinata's sunshine smile to himself.

 _Oh_.

*

  
  


The feeling refuses to go away.

He doesn’t know what he was expecting but he knows what he’s hoping for deep down. As much as he wants to move on from the feeling of jealousy that eats up at him when he sees Hinata and Kenma together he also can’t but wonder if Hinata has ever felt the same way.

It’s a stupid thought, he wasn’t close to anyone else like that. He got along fairly well with everyone on the team, even Tsukishima at times, he considers them good teammates, maybe even friends, but he was hands down the closest with Hinata.

There was no question about it, apart from being his partner on the court he was his friend outside it. That wasn’t supposed to happen, they were supposed to be rivals. They used to deny it, they’d even fight over if they were friends or not.

At first they were both in agreement that they were bitter rivals but then Hinata called him his friend in front of Yachi and all Tobio did is yank him by his hair and huff out a _we’re not friends you dumbass!_ but he never really denied it after that.

Becoming friends with Hinata was never a part of his plan. 

But he was always there when he needed him.

Except for now, while the rest of the team was in their sleeping room and getting ready for bed, Hinata was nowhere to be seen.

He hasn’t seen him since the last game, after yet another penalty they had split up to do separate practices but Hinata never joined them back into the room.

Though there was technically still an hour or so before they needed to be officially back into their shared room and ready to go to bed but now was around the time everyone makes their way back. He has already brushed his teeth and changed into his pajamas, and he was now stuck awkwardly sitting on his futon watching everyone else move instead.

Time feels painfully slow and it’s barely been four minutes before everyone else has come back from the bathroom or changed, everyone except Hinata and Daichi. Realistically Daichi was probably off doing captain stuff and Hinata was probably with new friends or lost. 

Thinking of Hinata being with other people made his stomach feel weird though, he didn’t feel like making a run into the toilet to puke like him or Asashi but it made a gross mixture of jealousy and doubt start brewing into a stomachache. He was allowed to have other friends apart from him _obviously_ , but it just made him feel weird. 

It’s not like he was going to stop him from being with other people because even if he wanted to he couldn’t. Hinata loves everyone and almost everyone loves him.

Love. 

That was a stupidly big word for a stupid situation and he suddenly felt heat rise in his face and ears. What was wrong with him? Before this training camp he was able to just insult and mess with him without much of a second thought but now thinking about him for too long made him feel hot all over as if he had some kind of fever and even tussling around with him started leaving him breathless in a different way.

This was all Kenmas fault, that’s it. 

He isn’t sure how but he had felt none of this before the camp, seeing them together made him feel weird and he hates it. It leaves him feeling annoyed because he doesn’t know what they can be talking about because he doesn’t know Kenma like that, with everyone else on the team it was fairly easy to guess what their interactions were about.

He couldn’t do the same for him and Kenmas though, and that’s what left him huffy because all he saw was Hinata smiling and he doesn’t know if they’re even talking about volleyball. It only bothers him because Kenmas is on the opposite team, technically another rival.

Yeah, that was it. He just didn’t want Hinata getting distracted.

He just wants to go back to normal when he could smack Hinata for snoring next to him and not feel an electric shock go through his entire arm.

His thoughts are interrupted by a familiar sound of footsteps running in and he looks up to see the sight of the familiar orange haired idiot and he’s annoyed when he feels himself relax.

“I was in Nekomas room,” Hinata explains sheepishly to a nosy Nishinoya . “Kenma was showing me how to beat this new game and we lost track of time.” 

“Someone looks sad, lemme guess Kurro kick you out?” Tanaka’s loud voice boomed over the quiet conversations and it was immediately followed by Nishinoya's laugh.

“He didn’t kick me out!” Hinata protested, he was walking over to his futon which laid next to Tobios. “He just said I should probably go now before Daichi gets mad and accuses him of trying to steal me.” 

This time it was Sugas turn to laugh, it starts off a bit loud before turning softer. “As long as you aren’t giving away our tricks Daichi won’t mind,” He says rubbing at his face. He was still laughing a little. 

“And as long as you make it back before lights out,” Asahi adds, nodding his head at the clock on the wall. “Which you did.”

Hinata beams with pride as he throws himself onto his sheets and Tobio has to physically force himself to look away. He looks so proud of himself just for getting back on time and that much brightness at such a late hour shouldn’t be allowed.

He knows he shouldn’t look because he knows eventually Hinata will start picking up on it, he was an idiot but he would notice the amount of staring he’s doing when he’s not looking. He gets defensive if Tobio even holds eye contact with him too long.

Despite himself he ends up glancing back to watch him get ready, he was talking to Nishinoya as he tried to smooth out his sheet and there’s that weird feeling creeping up again.

Zoning in he realizes that they’re talking about a new video game that had just come out and they were both in agreement that it was ridiculously hard, though they both agreed that they weren’t bad at it.

“Maybe you just need to take your time, look over at all the possibilities instead of jumping right in.” 

That was Asahis suggestion, and it’s sound goods from an outsider's perspective. It’s actually solid advice in general but it makes Nishinoya laugh and jump him because _“wow! you’re so right why didn’t we think of that?!”_

Hinata laughs rolling back and Tobios could see the large smile that looked like it was threatening to rip his cheeks in half.

Hinata Shoyo was really always smiling, he was always so happy it almost hurt. 

He clears his throat. “What game were you playing?” He means to come off casual but it comes off a bit standoffish as if he was giving an interrogation.

“Huh?” Hinata looks over and his head tilts a bit so his hair flops with him.

“Think, you dumbass,” The heat is coming back to his ears. “The one you and Kenma just played.”

“I’m not a dumbass!” 

“Yeah you are, dumbass.”

Hinata's face turns into one red from frustration and they spend the next two minutes arguing whether or not Hinata is a dumbass before he finally agrees to tell him about the game.

(Daichi telling them to shush is also a push, neither of them had noticed when he came back into the room and Hinata practically jumps a mile a high.)

“ _And so there’s like this dragon right and it’s protecting its treasure and there’s gold in it but not just regular gold it’s something special made from gold! Kenma won’t tell me what is though so I’ll tell you tomorrow but I think it’s a heart, that would be so cool right? But you have to win to get the gold and stuff but it’s really hard because—“_

He’s barely listening, instead he’s just watching him as he explains this dragon game so intensely and he realizes that Hinata Shoyo has a heart of gold himself.

He thinks that he’d do anything to win it.

  
  
  


*

  
  


Tobio realizes he really has a problem when Hinata loses his sock later that night. He doesn’t know what time it is but it’s late and he can hear a shuffling noise coming from the side of him and though it was dark so he couldn’t really see anything, he still knows it’s Hinata.

“Hinata,” he hisses, rolling over to face him. “Stop moving.”

“I lost my sock!” He wails back, he could hear the tiredness in his voice and he knows if he doesn’t sleep soon he’s going to be in a bitch mood towards him all morning until he eats. 

Despite the lack of lightning he could still make out some of his features. He could see his tired disappointed eyes staring back at him and he could almost see the pout he probably held as well.

Normally he would’ve just ignored him to go back to sleep, laugh at him a bit and tease before getting mad that he woke him but if everything was still the same he would already be back asleep. 

This time he just huffs and looks for his phone because Hinata was never going to think about using his own phone flashlight.

He shines it in his face and regrets it immediately. 

His hair is pushed back and flat on one side while fluffed on the other, his eyes are drooping and they widen at the light. There’s some dried up drool next to his mouth and Tobio feels like he’s seeing Hinata for the first time all over again.

Words are falling out of his mouth before he can think them through, _I think I somehow like you_ is what he says but it comes out as “move, idiot .” 

There’s no argument, he just looks grateful and warmth fills Tobios entire body because even though there’s no new time stopping moment, Hinata just lost one of his socks, there’s a click.

This one isn’t caused by the weird feeling of jealousy, it’s caused by the feeling of warmth from the familiarity of this situation. Hinata was always going to be there and always going to do something stupid. He smiles a bit despite himself.

Hinata had grown on him the past months, they had sworn each other to be longtime rivals in middle school, to be enemies until the end of time but now they were sleeping in the same room with the rest of _their_ team. They should’ve been opposites again like in middle school but in this moment he realizes it really does feel right.

He likes Hinata Shoyo, he was a good rival, a decent teammate and a- _oh._ His own thoughts echo back at him, **_he likes Hinata Shoyo._ **

His chest feels like it’s on fire because it’s true, he likes Hinata Shoyo. He likes him outside of volleyball and he doesn’t know what means, what does it mean to like someone like that? To want to beat them while you make each other better players and people? 

“Stop looking at me like that Kageyama!” Hinata hisses suddenly. “You look scary.”

As quickly as the warmth had come it’s gone, he’s no longer smiling at the sun instead he’s glaring at it. 

“If you don’t shut the hell up I’ll go back to bed,” he snaps. “I’ll let you look for your stupid sock on your own.”

They both know he’s not.

  
  


*

The barbecue is a nice distraction from the weird possible realization he had the night before. It's loud and everyone around him was talking to someone else and focused on their own groups. The noise actually helped him relax a bit, the environment was too busy for him to think for too long. 

He was forcing himself to make the effort to at least be near these groups of people so he had something to focus on while he ate and that’s how he found himself standing awkwardly with Fukurodani’s setter, Akaashi. Their interaction was brief at first, Tobio thanking him for handing him a drink while he had choked on his food earlier and Akaashi had just nodded and told him to remember to chew.

Akaashi is an impressive setter, and he secretly hopes to maybe end the barbecue with some advice from his upperclassmen but it turns out Akaashi is not a talkative person.

He’s quiet like Kenma but he’s more reserved in a passive way, he’s blunt both on and off the court. The thing is he isn’t cruel, Akaashi shows no signs of genuine menace, he's just honest. 

It’s something he respects and secretly admires but it also makes his head hurt because he has a million questions and Akaashi is just in his own thoughts.

The most emotion he hears from him is whenever he talks about or calls out for Bokuto. Almost every other answer he gave included Bokuto ( _“it’s because we’re partners”_ is his explanation.) He’d be talking or listening when suddenly he’ll sigh and look over and call out a “ _Bokuto-san watch yourself”_ or a _“don’t do that Bokuto-san.”_

And every time Tobio looks over he’ll see that Bokuto is doing something and he wonders how Akaashi just knows he’s doing it without even looking, it’s kind of freaky and it reminds him of Daichi. It’s an instinct that’s always accurate.

He’s asking Akaashi about a certain move when he sees him frown followed by the call of _“Bokuto-san don’t.”_

This time Bokuto is accompanied by Kurro and they’re teaming up to try to get Tsukishima to give up his glasses. Kurro’s laugh is shockingly louder than Bokutos and it reminds him of a hyena.

Akaashi sighs, he hasn’t even looked over fully yet but he’s clearly debating whether to intervene or not (Tobio doesn’t want him to, Tsukishima was being a bitch this morning) when the cry of “ _Bokuto! Bokuto look!”_ makes them both turn.

It’s Hinata and he’s running up to the striped haired captain holding a game console in one hand clearly excited about something.

The weird feeling of warmth returns as he sees Hinata jump up and down with Bokuto, his hands are waving and Tobio wonders just how hard he was holding onto that console.

He thankfully doesn’t get the chance to get lost in his thoughts about him because he’s getting pulled back into reality when Akaashi immediately excuses himself the moment he sees his ace attempt to pick Hinata up.

He forces himself to peel his eyes away from the scene of Hinata and Bokuto being excited because he knows if he starts looking he won’t be able to pull away the moment Hinata smiles.

And Hinata _always_ smiles.

Sighing, he forces his head down to avoid any chance of eye contact as he begins to walk to distance himself from the group. He barely makes it past Ennoshita and Kinoshita when the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stand up.

He felt like he was being watched. 

Spinning around, he sees nothing out of the ordinary, no ones paying any attention to him. They’re all focused in their own social bubble. 

He feels a little dumb for a moment before he’s feeling the eyes again. It feels like they’re trying to burn a hole into the back of his head. Turning slowly he tries to meet the gaze of the watcher and finds himself staring into golden eyes. He takes a step back and finds himself making eye contact with Kenma who’s sitting under a tree and he’s watching him so intently it gives him whiplash.

Kenma doesn’t look away and he doesn’t know what to do. They’ve barely interacted at all before the camp and he had told himself now that he wasn’t going to at all for the rest of it. If he avoids Kenma he doesn’t have to face his possible feelings for Hinata and how Hinata might like Kenma instead.

That all goes out the window when Kenma nods him over and the curiosity he has wins. Walking over he realizes he doesn’t know what to expect, he isn’t close to Kenma at all and doesn’t know if he should be expecting a fight or a talk.

Though Kenma seems more of a talker vs a fighter, he doesn’t even seem like much of a talker, it’s still good to expect anything. 

Kenmas leaned back against the tree, he doesn’t look particularly upset or anything. He looks a bit tired but his eye bags weren’t even close to matching Akaashis yet, though they were close.

His hands are empty from his usual game and Tobio realizes the game Hinata was waving around must be his. That weird pang of jealousy hits him again and he tries his best not to frown.

It doesn’t work. 

He’s about to ask Kenma how he is just so he can say _something_ and make the situation less painful instead of just jumping right into what he wants (Hinata always says he can be nicer) when Kenma cuts him off.

“I know you like Shoyo.” 

Oh _._

There’s no smugness behind his words, he just states it like it’s a fact and he wonders how he knew. He himself didn’t know until last night but Kenma has it said it so simply and so honestly as if it was written on his forehead.

He doesn’t know what the hell he's supposed to say to do that. Is he supposed to deny it or admit it? If he admits to it, it risks the chance of Hinata finding out, he doesn’t think Kenma would tell but knowing his luck somewhere somehow he’d find out. He isn’t even certain on what it means to like him, he had just barely realized he likes being friends with him.

The silence is clearly telling because he just nods. “I’m not going to tell him or anything,” he reassures and Tobio looks away. 

He finds himself subconsciously looking for Hinata and he angrily huffs kicking the grass a bit.

“I respect him as a teammate and _maybe_ like his company every once in a while, he’s _so_ annoying.” 

Denial comes easy but they both know he’s lying, because he can’t even bring himself to put in the effort to genuinely insult him.

Kenmas eyes are burning into him again, and Tobio doesn’t even bother to hide his glare, gritting his teeth as he looks down at the sitting boy. “How did you know?” 

There’s another huff but this time it’s from Kenma and he looks back to see him looking at him as if he was the idiot.

“It’s..it’s just so _obvious_ ,” the way he’s speaking and looking at him makes him feel like a child. “It’s almost like Akaashi and Bokuto.” 

The frustration drops from his body as it turns to shock, “ _Akaashi_ _likes Bokuto?”_

Kenma stares up at him again, eyebrows raised.

“I barely know them!” He feels the need to defend himself partially because he hates being seen as clueless and because he wants to get the subject off himself.

“Akaashi told Kurro it was just _‘underlining romantic feelings’_ ,” Kenma shrugs. “That was forever ago, but it’s not like they try to hide it now.” 

He looks back over to where he last saw them and sees that Bokutos attention is focused down towards Hinata who’s showing him something on the console. Akaashis standing next to him and he watches as he just slips into Bokuto's side.

Bokuto doesn’t even blink, he just grins and puts an arm around him and Akaashi nudges him with his elbow. They share a look and it’s like a secret is being told between smiles before Bokutos looking back down at Hinata. Akaashi’s smile still lingers between glances, it’s small but it’s there.

“I didn’t see that one coming.” he mumbles. He guesses it makes sense though, Bokuto was one of the few people he had seen Akaashi show real obvious emotion to and he thinks he can see the appeal of liking your one person, especially someone already your partner.

Hinata's jumping now, he’s on edge and Tobio thinks he must be at the dragon part of the game where you have to fight for the gold.

“He’s really bad at that part,” Kenma offers. He looks back at him and sees that he’s gone back barely glancing up over his phone, fingers flying on the screen. “He doesn’t think it through.”

“He doesn’t think to begin with,” he mutters looking back to see Hinata clearly lose, he sucks in on his cheeks before blowing out the air angrily. Bokuto ruffles his hair and suddenly he’s smiling again. 

“Are you going to tell him?”

“I already do,” Tobio says, he looks back at him. “Practically everyday, he’s a walking idiot.”

Kenma blinks, “I mean that you like him.”

He scowls. 

“No I’m not,” he hisses. “It’s not even like that, I just see him so much it’s confusing.”

Yeah that works, he thinks. Blaming your possible crush on the fact that you see each other everyday for your shared sports is perfectly fine, he overheard Asahi tell that to Daichi once when he and Hinata had first joined the team. They had arrived at the gym early hoping to sneak some extra practice in and instead encountered a weird support meeting between the two third years.

(They did not end up getting that extra practice in because Daichi and Asashi ended up hogging the gym for their weird therapy practice session that was too uncomfortable to be around once they heard sniffling.) 

He focuses his attention on the sky in front of him. The sun's dropping and he could see the streaks of pink starting to form in the sky, they’re leaving tonight and he wonders if it’ll go back to normal when it’s just him and Hinata again. 

“I like Shoyo too.” 

It’s quiet, it’s almost a whisper lost in the slight breeze and it doesn’t come like a slap to the face, it doesn’t even shock him. He looks over and sees that Kenmas put his phone down and he’s clearly waiting for his response.

A moment passes. “Are you going to tell him?” He finally manages to ask, his voice is calm and he feels his shoulders tense up.

“I don’t know.” 

He nods, Kenmas face is blank but he looks like he was expecting more from him but he doesn’t know what he should even say. 

Hinata’s a loud overexcited idiot who’s love for volleyball will always come first. He wants to be the next tiny giant, live up to his hero’s name. All his time and energy goes into volleyball, it’s just like Tobio.

They wouldn’t ever have time for a relationship and he’s fine with just being there as his partner on the court. He wants to see him improve, he wants to see Hinata actually use his brain because in the end they’re going to face each again for real. 

He shrugs. “It doesn’t matter anyway,” he decides out loud. “He’s too stupid to realize anything, he has a volleyball for a brain.”

Kenma smiles a little at that 

  
  


*

Hinata’s naturally a touchy person and Tobio has learned to get used to it but right now he was resisting the urge to punch him.

The barbecue had long since ended, everyone was now getting their stuff ready to leave and head to the bus and he was trying to fold his clothes when he felt Hinata tug on his arm for the fifth time.

“What do you want?” He snaps, finally looking over. 

“God Kageyama you don’t have to be so mad all the time!” Hinata shot back, his hand was still holding onto his elbow but he dropped it after a moment to cross his arms instead. “I was just trying to ask you something!”

Glaring he waits for him to continue but he doesn’t, Hinata just stares up at him eyebrows furrowed and he realizes that he wants him to say something.

Normally he’d keep silent to edge him on but he’s too tired to do that today. “Well? Spit it out, moron.” he huffs going back to his clothes.

“ _WILLYOUSITWITHMEONTHEBUSAGAIN?”_

He blinks, pausing mid fold. “What?”

“I SAID WILL YOU SIT WITH ME ON THE BUS KAGEYAMA?!” Hinata practically _screeches_ and he swears he could hear glass break.

“Where else would I sit?” He mumbles, they always sat together when they had to. They had even sat together on the bus ride here. 

He can see Hinata out of the corner in his eyes and he’s _beaming_ , he looks relieved as he nods, his hair bouncing a bit. Tobio is hit with the fact that he might’ve been asking because of their fight. 

Not wanting to think about that for too long or head into a weird _I’ll always sit by you if you let me_ confession, he shrugs, “Just don’t drool on me.”

Hinata’s smile immediately turns into an expression of shock and then anger. “I don’t drool!” 

“You do, it’s disgusting.”

“I don’t!”

“You do.”

“ _I DON'T DROOL!”_

  
  


*

Hinata was in a suspiciously good mood.

It was time to go home, they were making their way back to say their goodbyes and thanks to the rest of the teams and he was practically jumping off the walls. He had gotten used to his permanent energy but this somehow felt different, a minute earlier he had just gone on an entire ramble but now his mouth was shut but he was still jumping around.

Hinata’s words were playing in his head, _I hate being the weakest one on the team but the fact that there’s so many people up above me is something that drives me to get better!_ That exclamation had come out of nowhere and it was just annoyingly accurate.

Tobio is tired, his social battery is basically dead and Hinata’s positivity was digging into his side. Yawning, he rubs his face as the goodbyes were being said.

He can see Bokuto and Kurro cornering Tsukishima and he goes to point it out to Hinata because seeing Tsukishima in moral pain always made both of their days better.

But when he turns he all he finds is air, Hinata wasn’t by his side anymore. 

It's not that hard to find him, he’s in the back saying bye to Kenma which was basically Hinata waving bye over and over while making no effort to move.

Kenmas brief confession had only happened a few hours before and it's creeping up at him again as he watches them talk. He can see that Hinata’s itching to lean in for a hug while also trying to respect boundaries.

He briefly wonders if Sugas watching, he’d probably be proud.

“Okay guys, time to go!” 

Daichi's voice booms over the goodbyes occurring and everyone shuffles to go, Hinata’s waving bye again.

He’ll give him five seconds, Tobio decides. If Hinata doesn’t get his ass down in five seconds he’ll start waking without him.

Hinata tells Kenma bye (again.)

_One._

Kenma politely nods.

_Two._

Hinata shifts on the heels of his feet, his arms awkwardly glued to his side.

_Three._

Kenma shifts from one foot to the other.

_Four._

He watches as Hinata turns to finally go when Kenma taps his shoulder. 

_Five._

He extends his arms out just a bit and Hinata jumps in for a hug _._ Arms wrap around each other so easily, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world and he watches as Kenma says something to Hinata before hiding into his shoulder.

It's a hug that lingers for what seems like forever before Daichi hollers at Hinata to join them while Tanaka and Nishinoya laugh hysterically. Face bright red, Hinata yells out an apology before running back over, but not before he waves goodbye again.

It’s technically longer than five seconds but Tobio walks with him anyway.

  
  


*

  
  


The ride home is always loud with chatter for the first twenty minutes or so, everyone talking about the camp or how excited they were to get back home into their own beds and Tobio is confused as to why Hinata wasn’t joining in. He’d usually be joining in excitedly but now his face was pressed against the window, knees pointed away as he stared off into nothing.

Tobio stifled back a yawn, “Are you sleeping already?”

Hinata peeked over his shoulder, there’s a smile on his face. “No, I’m thinking.”

“That’s the first.” He scoffs but is interrupted by Hinata’s knee kicking his shin. “ _Hey! Watch it moron!”_

Hinata stuck his tongue out looking smug and shifted himself so he wasn’t staring out the window anymore. His back was leaned against it now and he didn’t hesitate to kick his legs over Tobios.

He scowls. “I’m not your chair,” he goes to shove his legs off him but Hinata tenses up refusing to move. “Coach Ukai makes bad turns, if you fall I won’t feel bad for you.” He warns.

There’s a pause as he clearly considers that possibly but just smiles. His hands are at his lap and he’s clinging to his phone looking as if he was waiting for something.

“Why are you so happy for?” He asks, curiosity taking over as he glances over at his screen. 

He’s just met with his lock screen which was a horrible group photo of the team, he remembers the practice day he took it on and how it took a good few minutes of convincing Tsukishima to join it. Hinata’s explanation for needing the updated photo was _“we need a new one, Yachi’s here now.”_ The times displayed but other than that there’s no messages.

Hinata sighs and goes to dramatically lean back but his head smacks the window. “ _Ow_ ,” he whines, he rubs the back of his head while Tobio snickers but he glances back down at his phone. “Kenma said he has something to ask me.”

Before he could say anything he’s beat by Nishinoya poking his head over the seat behind them, “ _Ah ha! You two have been close_.” 

Tanaka laughs alongside him and his hand reaches over to ruffle Hinata’s hair and his face goes bright red as he says _it’s not like that guys!_ while Noya gleefully replied “we didn’t say it was anything!” 

“When’s he telling you?” He finds himself asking. He wants to ask about what he’s asking but he doesn’t know if he wants to know. 

There’s a gleam in his eyes suddenly, a familiar look of determination in his face. “He says when we make it to nationals he’ll tell me.”

“That’s our boy!” Tanaka cheers loudly, drawing eyes over to their corner of the bus as he goes back to messing up his hair. 

“Don’t worry, carrot top!” Noya says just as loud. “We’re going to make it to nationals, we’re going to win and you’re getting your date!”

Hinata’s face is turning brighter than his hair and he goes to say something but is cut off from a sudden turn the bus takes and he almost rolls off the seats onto the floor.

“ _HINATA, SIT PROPERLY!!”_

“ _Sorry Daichi!”_

  
  


*

It's later now, a bump on the road is what jolts him awake. He doesn’t remember exactly when he fell asleep but he knows he started to drift off when Takeda Sensei took over the wheel.

Yawning, he goes to rub his eyes when he processes something tickling his cheek. Glancing over he realizes Hinata had fallen asleep leaned into him.

His hairs pushed up against Tobios cheek and he wanted to be annoyed and shove him away because he could almost see the future drool stains that were being left on him but he decided against it at the last minute.

It didn’t mean anything, he decides looking down seeing that their hands were brushing, his pinky dangerously close to interlocking with Hinata’s.

The rush of warmth growing on his face didn’t mean a damn thing, he was just overheating from having him so close to him. 

Hinata twitches for a moment, his shoulders tense up and he feels fear wondering if he’s been up all along but hearing the soft snore calms him down. His shoulders are relaxing again and Hinata’s hand twitches instead. 

He huffs, he lets his hand reach out to interlock their pinkies fully and let's Hinata shift closer to him, he’s only doing this so he doesn’t fall or tries shoving Tobio off the seat. 

He doesn’t know what to make about his possible feelings for his teammate or how to deal with them but he knows one thing, they were going to nationals.

And they were going to win.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> hey hey hey !! thank you for reading this little story, it was supposed to be limited to only 2,000 words but here we are lmao.
> 
> i haven’t written fanfic in like two years and this is my first ever haikyuu fic so i’m sorry if anyone seems to be out of character or oc like i tried my best. im also sorry if there’s any mistakes as well as i do not have a beta <\3
> 
> but thank you again to anyone reading this! this is my first time uploading a fic on ao3 and i hope it’s a good one :]
> 
> \- messina
> 
> update ! jan 3, 2021 - posted a new fic kags pov again that can be read as a sequel to this. i’m a grandpa who can’t figure out links so it’s called ‘i loved you then(i love you now)’ on my profile (:


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